Apparatus for electrical treatment of ores.



W. B. MGPHERSON-, APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL TREATMENT 10F ORES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.20, 1909.

W. B. McPHERSON. APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL TREATMENT OF 0mm;

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20 1909.

Patented June 21, 1910.

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ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. MOPHERSON, 01 L08 ANGELESiCALIFOBNIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 GAIL 'BORDEN, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL TREATMENT OF ORES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patehted June 21, 1910.

Application filed April 20, 1909. Serial No. 491,155.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. MCPHER- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in thecount of Los Angeles and State of California, ave invented a new and useful Apparatus for Electrical Treatment of Ores, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for subjecting ores to the action of electric current.

The main object of the present invention is to provide, in an apparatus of this kind, means for heating the material being treated, simultaneously with the electrical action thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide for-agitation of the material.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for the above stated purpose which will be simple and cheap in construction and efiicie'nt and economical in operaion.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof.- Fig. 3 is a vertical section of another form of the in-".

vention. z

The a paratus-comfp'1'ises, a tank,g.vat or adjacent thewallof the vat and concentric with the central electrode. The electrode 2 may consist of a vertical post or bar of carbon or carbon compositionv having a core rod 4 molded therein, said core rod being fastened to'the bottom (Tf thetank '1 as by means of a screw portion 4'. other nuts 6 being provided to serve as means for connecting the/electric circuit.'

provided with a coat- The core rod 4 may be ing 7 of conducting material resistant to the .for example, lead. is tubular and 4 base conduit 8 throughout the sameto provide for the passage of heating i'n'edinm. such as hot air or steam, etc. Thisv combined electrode and heatingelement is wound refer abl in a helic'al'coil of suitable meta ref- -eral il srovide a uni orm A y lead. In order to surface for equalizing the istribution of the The distance of tank 1 and having of the vat whic cular "motion without. circu arena.- leQof-"WoOd v. 'meansmayhe-provlded. C nsisting-of bars an inner or central electrode.- 2 supported] and an outer electrode 3 and nuts 5,v

nected as the'anode, an

current through the electrolyte and to utilize all of the space, the tube of which the electrode is formed is preferably square or rectangular in cross section, each -run of the helixl ing flat on the-one beneath it so as to close t e space and 'form a substantially cylindrical wall at tlie inside of the electrode.

electrode 2 is uniform atall points. Electrode 3 is provided with means 9 for connection to an electric circuit. The inlet 10 and outlet 11 of this tubular electrode pass through the wall of tank 1 for the reception and delivery of the heating medium.

The-agitatingmean's is supported on a frame 12 extending across and above the I a vertical shaft 13 journaled thereon, said vertical shaft carrying a cross bar 14 provided with depending bars 15 which extend nearly to the bottom of the tank and may be provided at, their 'lower ends with enlargements or plates 16 preferably disposed ob iquely to the radial direction, .so that in the rotation of the agitator these plates will force the contents of the tank outwardly and maintain a condition-i of circulation in the tank. The agi- *tator shaft 13 is driven from a suitable driving shaft-17 by gearing 18, 19.

'In order to would sini ly result in .cir-

tion, fllresting or obstructing members 20. supported at their upper ends by hangers 21'on. the top of tank 1 and extending within the-inner provided at 22 for ofthe tank. J

The operation is as follows 'Tl ie material consisting of slimes-or,othersolidi-matter, together with or containingwater, or chemical solution, is char ed into the tank 1 andoccupies the space tween the inner electrode 2 and the outer electrode 3. Said 1 electrodes are connected to an. electric cir-, wit, the electrode-2 bein for example, conthe electrode 3 as the cathode in a dijrect current circuit. Simultaneously with" the passage of' el ec tr1c current between the electrodes, heating medium, such as-hot-air, hot water, or steam,-

is assed through the, outer tubular electr e to heat the contents of the tank. The

revent swirl of thecontentsthis wall from the central '90 wall of the outer-electrode 3. are. 4

drawing on; contents,

ios

agitating means 13, 14 is also set in motion to lstir and circulate the contents of the tanr.

Fig. 3 shows a construction embodying the invention in a different form, the central anode being rotative and carried by the agitating means. In this form of the invention the central shaft 13 of the agitator extends down into the tank 1 and carries at its lower end a cross arm 23 which serves for agitation of the liquid in the tank. The inner electrode 2 in this case is tubular and surrounds and is carried by the vertical shaft 13 so as to rotate therewith, a coating 25 of lead being provided for the shaft. Connect-ion made to this central electrode through the vertical shaft 13 and the brush 26 provided with circuit connection means 24. In other respects the construction is as above described and the operation is the same as above set forth except that the central electrode rotates with the agitator.

\Vhat I claim is 1. An apparatus for electrical treatment of ores comprising a centralelectrode therein, an' outer electrode concentric with the central electrode, said outer electrode being hollow and provided with means for passing heating medium therethrough.

2. An' apparatus for electrical treatment of ores comprising a central electrode therein, an outer electrode concentric with the central electrode, said outer electrode being formed of a tube wound in'the form of a helix and provided with means for the passage of heating medium therethrough.

3. \n apparatus for electrical treatment of ores comprising a central electrode therein, an outer electrode concentric with the central electrode, said outer electrode being formed of a tube wound in the form of a helix and provided with means for the passage of heating medium therethrough, said tube being rectangular in-cross section, the

inner face thereof forming a cylindrical surface.

4. An apparatus for electrical treatment of ores comprising a tank, a central electrode therein, an outer electrode concentric with the central electrode, said outer elec trode being hollow and provided with means for passing heating medium therethrough, an agitating means comprising a rotatable member having bars extending within the tank, and means for rotating said rotatable member.

5. An apparatus for electrical treatment of ores comprising a tank, a central electrode therein, an outer electrode concentric with the central electrode, said outer electrode being hollow and provided with means for passing heating medium' there-- through, an agitating means comprising a rotatable member having bars'extending downwardly within the tank, and means for rotating said rotatable member, said bars having obliquely directed enlargements at their lower ends.

6. An apparatus for electrical treatment of ores comprising a tank, a central elec trode therein, an outer electrode concentric with the central electrode, said outer electrode being hollow and. provided with means for passing heating medium therethrough, an agitating means comprising a rotatable member havin bars extending downwardly within the tan means for rotating said ro-' tatable member, and means ext-ending downwardly within the electrode to obstruct rotative movement of the contents of the tank.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 8th day of April 1909.

\VI'LL'IAM B. MGPHE'RSUN.

In presence of- ARTHUR P. KNIGHT, FRANK L. A. GRAHAM. 

